Austin – Every SXSW, the UK bring over a bunch of bands in order to introduce them to America. Monday night was the start of the UK night series at Latitude. It was a miserable rainy night in Austin, which I guess all the Ex-pats would dub “a pretty normal night in England”. Having been to all sorts of drunken debacle the previous few nights, I decide a nice night in one spot listening to music and not talking to anyone would be ideal. The night started off with a band called Smokey Angle Shades, a London based band featuring also Irish and German band members. I woulda called the band Sauerkraut, Spaghetti and Sausages..but that’s why I’m here and they are there.

I have never heard of this band before tonight and they immediately began to make a mark, mainly because they all looked a bit hippie-ish and were all wearing hats. Not the dapper English hats that Pete Doherty rocks, but country-ish hats. i would even say lead vocalist Fred had some inspiration from one Jack Sparrow. The band performed a 40 minute set consisting of harmonizing vocals with a sound reminiscent of Fleet Foxes/My Morning Jacket/Early Kings of Leons in that it sounds a bit like countryish rock. You know, the kind of stuff people with beards would listen to.

All in all, an enjoyable set. Harmonizing vocals are always nice, especially when it’s done properly and I liked the vocals/country rock vibe. Especially at a music festival in Texas.

Related posts:

1. SXSW Review: Viva Voce, Red Eyes Fly, March 19 2009 Austin, TX – On the first post after 18...
2. SXSW Review: Hot Panda, March 18, Beauty Bar Austin – In what was purely coincidental, our first show...
3. SXSW Review: Gomez, March 19, Stubb’s BBQ Austin – Having ignored Gomez for the past few...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Austin – Unexpectedly, my first concert of South By Southwest came on the first night I was there…for SXSW Interactive. For those of you who have never been to South By Southwest Interactive, here’s a quick rundown – There are panels that run from 9:30 to 5:00 pm, but most people go from 11:00 to 3:00, where most of the meaty panels take place At 3:00, open bar starts. By open bar, I mean, once it hits 3:00 in the afternoon, depending on which parties you go to (all sponsored by companies like Google, Microsoft, Mashable, Can I has Cheezburger, etc) you can pretty much drink and eat for free the rest of the night. It just happens that one of the parties I went to was a ustream party hosted by Pete Wentz and it featured a band called Gym Class Heroes.

I’ll be honest and admit I had absolutely no clue who Gym Class Heroes is. I had a sneaking suspicion that they were some emo band since the night was hosted by Pete Wentz (who is about 4 feet tall and wears sunglasses in a dark room). Not wanting to go in blind, I asked facebook people who they were, and replies were:

V: Bad emo/”punk” band. like fall out boy.
P: Actually, they’re even worse than that … it’s like fall out boy with rappin

You would think this would help, but i’ve never heard Fall Out Boy either. So I was expecting some sort of shitty emo rap band. All instincts told me to leave, but hey, this is South By Southwest. If there was ever a time to be open minded about music, now would be it. Also, there was a lot of free alcohol. So I stayed.

The overall show was kinda meh. I mean, I didn’t love it and I didn’t get offended. It wasn’t super good but also wasn’t super crappy. If anything, they played a lot more chilled set then I had imagined, given I had heard they were of the emo-rap variety. The chilled out rock-rap set they played could almost be on VH1, and maybe some older people will listen to it and then hear the rap and think they have some edge to it or something. The lead singer was pretty energetic and worked hard to get the crowd going, doing a lot of call and responses. I guess its not hard to get a crowd going when it’s an open bar party and people have been drinking for 8 hours already. At one point, he got everyone to stick their hands in the air and then turned it into a middle finger, in an act of defiance or something. I wonder if he knew that most people attending this party were white collar workers all working for giant corporations that sent them to a conference to have fun on their dime. Can’t really hate the establishment when you think about it. Points for effort though.

All in all, it was okay, nothing good, nothing bad. I guess that’s what passes for #4 on Billboard these days.

Oh yah, the picture is of Jamie Lynn Sigler/Meadow Soprano who was also at the party. Had a really hard time resisting asking her where turtle was.

Related posts:

1. SXSW Review: Voxtrot, March 17, La Zona Rosa, Austin Austin – Technically not a SXSW showcase, Voxtrot played...
2. SXSW Review: Smokey Angle Shades, Latitude, March 17 Austin – Every SXSW, the UK bring over a...
3. SXSW Review: Hot Panda, March 18, Beauty Bar Austin – In what was purely coincidental, our first show...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Toronto – It is with a heavy heart that I must report a tragedy that has plagued the streets of our fair city. More umbrella’s have perished this past weekend in Toronto than ever in recorded history. I left my apartment last Saturday morning and something just didn’t feel right in the air. I saw a mass of black cloth and plastic in the distance. A shiver ran up and then down and then back up my spine. Is that what I think it is? No, surely not. I cautiously approached the disheveled form. The 14-year old inside of me gave the poor thing a kick. Yep, it was an umbrella, and it was a fresh kill.

I kept walking through the city, and couldn’t help but find more carnage. Carnage everywhere. Oh the humanity! Some poor souls had their plastic wiring bent and broken; others had metal frames completely blown to bits. Others were covered in crumbs of baguette and drops of red wine. They were the parapluie, the elusive and slightly snobby cousins of the common umbrella. But the grim reaper does not discriminate. I could feel the bile rising in my throat. Steady, old soldier, steady. There were huge umbrellas with broken spines. Even baby umbrellas. What kind of monster would do this to a baby umbrella in such cold blood plastic? It was a massacre of  unprecedented proportions.

I’d like to take a moment of silence for all the umbrellas we lost in the streets this weekend.

I have an ominous feeling that we’re merely in the eye of the storm here.

Related posts:

1. Weekend Primer – Toronto, September 25 Toronto – Well, it’s the weekend, so what are...
2. CD Review: Vampire Weekend – Contra [2010, XL Recordings] Toronto – Despite their short existence, I’ve had many...
3. Hot Docs Preview – Carmen Meets Borat [2008, Mercedes Stalenhoef] Wow, a documentary about Borat! Who said documentaries were...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Toronto – Former Tea Party front man Jeff Martin played the Mod Club last Saturday. It was an exciting set of music both new and old that had me cursing the super quick 30 minute sets at the Mod Club that night. It’s not entirely fair that I’m writing this review because I was such a huge Tea Party fan as a teenager. I’ve long since internalized their first two albums Splendor Solis, and The Edges of Twilight.

I was skeptical as to what exactly to expect from Jeff after so many years. Thankfully he still plays to his strengths: eastern-influenced rock played with open-tunings that resonate with a gutsy metallic heft. I can’t believe I just used the term “gutsy metallic heft”; I’m such a douchebag. Anyway, he opened with The Bazaar, and kept the crowd happy by later playing the crowd favourite Sister Awake. He also kept things fresh by playing some of his newer non-Tea Party material that fit well within the set.

He peppered Tea Party lyrics into his other songs as if he spontaneously felt like it.

What I forgot about Jeff Martin is how consummate a musician he his. He can seriously play the guitar, and he can seriously sing. I don’t know how much of his set was rehearsed, but it certainly felt like an off-the-cuff set from a musician extremely comfortable in his own skin. He peppered Tea Party lyrics into his other songs as if he spontaneously felt like it.

His last song was a particularly impressive blues number that borrowed lyrics from old blues greats. As exotic as his tastes are, Jeff reminded us that he’s still got roots in the blues and can fuse that with his other influences into a style all his own. Although we may tend to typecast him in a particular era and style; he’s definitely his own musician and worth approaching on his own merits.

CMW highlight.

Related posts:

1. CMW Review: Joel Plaskett, Mar 13, Mod Club Toronto – Ah Joel Plaskett. We here at the...
2. Concert Review: Lewis and Clarke [Mod Club, April 26 2009] Toronto – Sorry for taking so long. With the...
3. Concert Review: Brendan Benson, The Paint Movement, Mod Club, Aug 24 Toronto – Monday nights are generally low key nights...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Toronto – Ah Joel Plaskett. We here at the Panic Manual have a soft spot in our heart for Mr. Plaskett. So far we’ve covered three of his live shows (here, here, and here). I suppose that makes this number four. He played last Saturday night at the Mod Club, accompanied by fellow singer/songwriter Peter Elkas. It was rainy, it was windy, and yet still people lined up for the opportunity to hear just a tiny abbreviated set of Joel’s music. Now that’s dedication.

“Is there a reason you loves this town?” – crowd member
“There are many reasons I love this town. Damn.” – Joel Plaskett

What else can I say about this genuine east coast rocker? I suppose what’s just as impressive as Joel’s guitar and vocal skills is what he does to a crowd. His mix of talent, humble east-coast upbringing and down-to-earth attitude makes him an endearing personality and a crowd favourite. There’s just something about him that prods us fast-paced downtown urbanites to smile and let our shields down; for a second we resolve to be more civil to our fellow strangers in this wild concrete rat race. Granted, it’s a passing resolution at best. But thankfully Joel comes to town frequently enough to keep prodding us in the right direction.

Joel won the Indie music award for best solo artist of the year later that night at the Royal York hotel. It’s a well deserved award for standup Canadian artist.

Related posts:

1. Concert Review: Joel Plaskett, May 23, Massey Hall A review of the Joel Plaskett show at Toronto's Massey...
2. CMW Review: Jeff Martin, Mar 13, Mod Club Toronto – Former Tea Party front man Jeff Martin...
3. Polaris Short List Announced – Let The Backlash Begin The 10 finalists for the Polaris Prize were announced...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Toronto – You know how at fests like this, you often see a performer who stands out above the rest, who puts on a show that blows you away? (Either that or no one stands out and you’re left bitter and hating music … yeah, I’ve been there.)  Well this may have been that show.

P.O.S. is a rapper out of Minneapolis who blends rap with the attitude and aggression of punk rock.  I know, it sounds a bit dubious, but don’t worry we’re not talking Linkin Park or Gym Class Heroes here … this guy is actually good.  Part of the Doomtree collective, he’s currently signed to Rhymesayers, home to Atmosphere and MF Doom.  And he’s collaborated with Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn in the past, so that gives him all the cred in the world in my book.

The punk influence was evident in songs like Drumroll (We’re All Thirsty), where he spit out the refrain “We’re all thirsty!” with the same intensity that Ian Mackaye would a Fugazi lyric.  “If you know the words, sing them not only like you wrote them yourself but like it’s just you and your closest friends in the room” he said at the start of his set.  And the crowd responded in kind, shouting his words back at him throughout the night.  I had never heard of him before tonight, but much of the crowd certainly had, and many seemed to know every word.  P.O.S. seemed genuinely appreciative of the sizeable crowd and fed off their energy. 

The show also included a thumb wrestling interlude where he challenged audience members, references to Wade Boggs and Derek Jeter, and compliments to his DJ and to opener Astronautilis (“It’s 2010, it’s all about complimenting your guy friends.” he said) 

This was probably the most unexpected suprise of the entire week for me. (although honourable mention goes out to Israeli metal band Orphaned Land, who totally kicked ass while wearing robes onstage)  P.O.S. is a pretty engaging performer.

Related posts:

1. Concert Review: Bloc Party with Longwave, March 22, 2009 9:30 Club DC Washington DC- This concert review is a tale of...
2. SXSW: Matt and Kim, March 19, Opal’s Divine Freehouse Austin – Taking time off from opening for Aussie...
3. SXSW Review: Hot Panda, March 18, Beauty Bar Austin – In what was purely coincidental, our first show...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Toronto – As we’ve mentioned before, at music festivals like CMW, it’s likely that you’ll only catch parts of certain sets. Especially if you are busy hopping from venue to venue. For the first time in 28 years, CMW was completely sold out this year. As the festival has grown, the fans have become more plentiful. Sold out shows have made venue-hopping increasingly difficult. Throughout the week I’ve ran into a number of frustrated fans who were unable to see the bands they wanted because of lineups and capacity crowds. Unfortunately it seems like CMW has become a victim of its own success, despite the cold and wet weather thrown our way.

But CMW is about discovering and enjoying Canadian talent, so let’s get to the music. It’s not entirely fair that I cover the Handsome Furs show last Friday at the El Mocambo because I only caught the last 20 minutes of it. Not surprisingly, it was a much hyped and very sold out show. However, it was such an amazing experience that it deserves mention. Montreal-based Handsome Furs consists of guitarist singer Dan Coeckner (from Wolf Parade) and his wife Alexei Perry. They play a supremely charged and intense electro indie rock that is insanely infectious.

Since it was the last night of the show, they got the opportunity to perform a festival rarity by playing an encore. It was the most intensely charged 20 minutes of music I heard at CMW this year; I will be jumping at the opportunity to see them live again.

Related posts:

1. NXNE Concert Review: Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head, El Mocambo, June 18th Toronto – One of the more hyped bands to play...
2. Concert Review: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, El Mocambo, Nov 25 Toronto – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros played...
3. CMW Review: Plants & Animals, Mar 12, Lee’s Palace Toronto – Montreal-based Plants & Animals played an energetic...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Toronto – Separado! is the story of Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys’ quest to find some distant relatives.  It’s also kind of about language, the love of music and just music in general. 

Driven by the desire to meet René Griffiths, a Welsh-Argentinian musician who he once saw on the BBC as a kid and then discovered was related to , Gruff travels to Patagonia to trace his family’s lineage there and to play some music along the way. 

So off he goes to Patagonia, armed with an acoustic guitar, various electronic noisemakers, and a motorcycle helmet looking piece of headgear which supposedly teleports him from place to place (Go Go Power Rangers!)  The helmet is one of the odd stylistic choices Griff has made and it suits the film perfectly.  This, along with the bizarre opening reenactment of a tragic horseracing accident and the opening credits done in ’60s/”70s explotation film style, make a great story even more enjoyable.  There are also several musical interludes that are basically little music videos within the film.

And the music is central to this film.  Even though the thrust of the story is about the search for Griffiths and various other family members, in many ways, it’s really about the music.  Another large reason for Griff’s trip was that he had a new album coming out and had to go on tour.  Deciding he was sick of just going to towns where abooking agent or promoter says there will be a good crowd, Gruff goes way off the beaten path, playing shows in various parts of South America.  His shows are often in small community centre type places (and in one case, an open field with an audience of one horse) and it’s amazing to see the audience’s reactions to this Welshman playing his beautiful, bizarre little tunes for them.  People of all ages (and largely Welsh heritage) come out to the shows and all seem to be enjoying themselves.

One of my favourite parts of the movie is when Gruff meets up and collaborates with a musician named Tony, who plays an electronic percussive instrument he built himself.  Even though neither man understands the other, they share the language of music to the point where all they need is to jam and give each other the thumbs up every now and then.  Language itself is another interesting theme of the film, with Gruff switching between Welsh and English in his narration and also seen in  the various Patagonian residents who hold on to their language and heritage despite the fact that I’m sure many of them have never even been to Wales. 

If you are a Super Furry Animals fan, this one is a must see and even if you’ve never heard them before, it’s still pretty much a must see.  Now I just need to find out where to get one of those teleporter helmets.

Related posts:

1. Hot Docs Preview – Cat Ladies [2009, Christie Callan-Jones] Cat Ladies. The title says it all. This doc...
2. 2009 Worldwide Short Film Festival Preview (Toronto) Happening alongside NXNE this week is the Worldwide...
3. TIFF movie review: Dogtooth [Yorgos Lanthimos, 2009] Toronto – Despite the audience chuckling under their coffee-breath...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Toronto – Montreal-based Plants & Animals played an energetic show at Lee’s Palace last Friday to a packed audience. In 2008, they released Parc Avenue, a lush sounding album with plenty of orchestral padding. Their upcoming album La La Land is scheduled to release in April. The show consisted of a mix of both new and old material; giving their fans a taste of what’s to come, and also spinning out sing-along friendly hits like Faerie Dance and Bye Bye Bye.

What’s so interesting about seeing Plants & Animals live is just how different it is from the album experience.  Until seeing them live, I wasn’t aware that the band consisted of a mere three members. When you listen to Parc Avenue, you hear backup vocals, strings, and brass. It’s easy to assume that you’re dealing with a huge Arcade Fire sized outfit. But Plants & Animals is a brainchild that resides in the minds of two east-coasters and a French Canadian.

With just the three of them, the live show certainly doesn’t have that lush sound heard in the album. However, what they lack in padding they more than make up for in energy. These three musicians definitely have a special live synergy. The entire band was dripping with sweat within 20 minutes of their relatively short CMW set. One concert first for me was seeing lead singer Warren Spicer replace a broken string on his guitar in between songs. I guess he really liked playing that particular guitar.

I waited in line for the better part of an hour and made it into Lee’s with mere minutes to spare before Plants & Animals played their first chord. It was well worth the wait and this show is on my highlight reel for CMW this year. I’d be curious to see what they would sound like if you were to combine their raw live energy with their entourage of beautiful backing vocals and brass.

Related posts:

1. Friday Night Dance Party: We Plants Are Happy Plants – Apollo This week’s Friday Night Dance Party feature is kind of...
2. Concert Review: The Big Pink, Lee’s Palace, November 29 Toronto – There are so many Asians in the...
3. Concert Review: Say Hi [Oct 22nd, Lees Palace] Photo by Matthew McAndrew I don’t really want to...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Toronto – In a situation like CMW, you’re likely to catch parts of different bands sets.  Because of this, it’s sometimes a bit hard and not really that fair to judge a band based on only 2 or 3 songs.  That said, I enjoyed Nightmare Air even though I only saw a few songs. 

The CMF website bio decribes them as a “Silversun Pickups vs. No Age street fight with Crystal Antlers refereeing” and that’s as good a description as any.  There were definite similarites to Silversun Pickups both in their guitar sound and in singer Dave Dupuis’ voice.  However, he may have surpassed Silversun’s  Brian Aubert in the high voice sweepstakes.  He reminded me of Aubert, but also Geddy Lee, Cedric Bixler-Zavala of ATDI/Mars Volta and other high pitched singers.  Maybe even Doctor Rockso, the rock and roll clown.  Definitely a band worth checking out.  They’ll be playing the Velvet Underground at 11:00 tonight (March 13).

Related posts:

1. Concert Review: Silversun Pickups, Sound Academy, October 14 Toronto – Things overheard on the bus ride and...
2. Late Night Show Music Guests – March 1 to March 5 Toronto – Well, now that the Olympics are over and...
3. Late Night Show Music Guests – January 25 to January 29 Toronto – We get a lot of ‘band x is...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.